Jerusalem’s Final Warning

1Come out of Hierusalem, ye strong chyldre of Beniamin blowe vp the trumpettes ye Thecuites, set vp a token vnto Bethcaran: for a plague & a great miserie appeareth out from the north.

2I wyll liken the daughter Sion to a faire and tender woman, and to her shall come the shepheardes with their flockes.

3Their tentes shall they pitche rounde about her, and euery one shall feede in his place.

4Make battayle against her shall they say aryse, let vs go vp whyle it is yet day: Alas the day goeth away, and the night shadowes fall downe.

5Arise, let vs go vp by night, and destroy her strong holdes.

6For thus hath the Lorde of hoastes commaunded, Hewe downe her trees, and set vp bulwarkes against Hierusalem: for the tyme is come that this citie must be punished, for in her is all maliciousnesse.

7Like as a conduite spouteth out waters, so she spouteth out her wickednesse: Robberie and vnrighteousnesse is hearde in her, sorowe and woundes are euer there in my sight.

8Amende thee (O Hierusalem) lest I withdrawe my heart from thee, and make thee desolate, and thy lande also, that no man dwell in it.

9For thus saith the Lorde of hoastes: The residue of Israel shalbe gathered as the remnaunt of grapes: and therefore turne thyne hande agayne into the basket, like the grape gatherer.

10But vnto whom shall I speake? whom shall I warne that he may take heede? Their eares are so vncircumcised, that they may not heare: beholde, they take the worde of God but for a scorne, and haue no lust therto.

11And therefore I am so full of thyne indignation O Lorde, that I may suffer no lenger, but shed it out vpon the chyldren that are without, and vpon all young men: yea the man must be taken prisoner with the wife, and the aged with the creeple.

12Their houses with their landes and wiues shalbe turned into straungers: for I wyll stretche out mine hand vpon the inhabitours of this lande, saith the Lorde.

13For from the least to the most they hang all vpon couetousnesse: and from the prophete vnto the priest, they go about falshood and lyes.

14And beside that, they heale the hurt of my people with sweete wordes, saying, Peace, peace: when there is no peace at all.

15Were they ashamed when they had committed abhomination? Truly nay, they be past shame, and therefore they shall fall among the slayne: and in the houre when I shall visite them, they shalbe brought downe saith the Lorde.

16Thus saith the Lorde, Go into the streetes, consider and make inquisition for the olde way, and if it be the good and right way, then go therein, that ye may finde rest for your soules: but they say, we wyll not walke therin.

17Moreouer, I wyl set watchmen ouer you, and therefore take heede vnto the voyce of the trumpet: but they say, we wyll not take heede.

18Heare therefore ye gentiles, and thou congregation shalt know what I haue deuised for them.

19Heare thou earth also: behold, I wyll cause a plague to come vpon this people, euen the fruite of their owne imaginations, for that they haue not ben obedient vnto my wordes and to my lawe, but abhorred them.

20Wherefore bryng ye me incense from Saba, and sweete smelling calamus from farre countreys? your burnt offeringes displease me, and I reioyce not in your sacrifices.

21And therefore thus saith the Lorde: Beholde, I wyll lay stumbling blockes among this people, and there shall fall at them the father with the chyldren, one neighbour shall perishe with another.

An Invasion from the North

22Thus saith the Lorde: Beholde, there shall come a people from the north, and a great people shal arise from the endes of the earth.

23With bowes and with dartes shall they be weaponed, it is a rough and fearce people, & an vnmercifull people: their voyce roareth like the sea, thei ride vpon horses well appointed to the battaile against thee O daughter Sion.

24The fame of them haue we hearde, our armes are feeble, heauinesse and sorowe is come vpon vs, as vpon a woman trauayling with chylde.

25Let no man go foorth into the fielde, let no man come vpon the hye streete: for the sworde and feare of the enemie is on euery side.

26Wherfore gyrde a sackcloth about thee O thou daughter of my people, sprinkle thy selfe with ashes: mourne and weepe bitterly as vpon thyne onlye beloued sonne, for the destroyer shall sodainly fall vpon vs.

27Thee haue I set for a strong towre O thou prophete and a well fensed wall among my people, to seeke out and to trye their wayes.

28For they are all stubborne apostates and fallen away, walking deceiptfully, they are cleane brasse and iron, for they hurt and destroy euery man.

29The bellowes are brent in the fire, the leade is not moulten, the melter melteth in vayne, for the euill is not taken away from them.

30Therefore do they call them naughtie siluer, because the Lorde hath cast them out.